Chance controlled construction game apparatus



y 1, 1969 H.JERNSTROM 3,452,989

CHANCE CONTROLLED CONSTRUCTION GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1967 INVENTOR A A/VS L/E/Q/VSTQOM B 86,4444 8 @rfiLL ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,452,989 CHANCE CONTROLLED CONSTRUCTION GAME APPARATUS Hans Jernstrom, Northbrook, 11]., assignor t0 Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago, Ill., a partnership Filed Aug. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 659,654 Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 US. Cl. 273-135 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game apparatus including a playing board on which players build squares and cubes with rods and couplers, the latter being used for joining the rods at substantially right angles to said board or to each other. Chance means, comprising a spinner and a marked disc, determine the number of rods and couplers which are allotted to a player for each play. The score of each player is computed from the number of squares and cubes completed by him.

Background of the invention The invention relates to games of chance and skill involving the assembly of playing pieces, and chance means for allotment of the playing pieces to each player. The present invention involves the use of playing pieces with which the player builds squares and cubes rising from the playing board and endeavors to prevent his opponent or opponents from completing squares and cubes.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the game board with a number of rods and couplers placed in position to form squares and parts of cubes;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a coupler, showing the lugs projecting from the body thereof, and of one end portion of a rod, showing the horizontal bore for receiving a lug on the coupler;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a spinner and spinner disc; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the completed cube as it appears at the end of a game.

Preferred embodiment of the invention The game apparatus comprises a base with a flat playing surface 12. Playing pieces are provided which comprise a number of rods indicated at 14 and a number of couplers or connectors indicated generally at 16. The rods may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, metal, wood or may be made of paper in the form of straws. The surface of a rod may bear any desired configuration or marking. In each end of each rod is a bore 18 for receiving a lug on a coupler, which will be hereinafter described. In the embodiment shown in FIG- URE 1, the playing surface 12 of the base 10 is square and each rod is of such length that when couplers have been added at each end, the total length of rod and couplers is approximately the length of a side of the playing surface. In each corner of the playing surface is a vertical bore so positioned as to receive a lug of a coupler.

The coupler 16, shown in detail in FIGURE 2, comprises a body section 20 with three pairs of lugs 22, 24, 2'6 projecting therefrom, the lugs being of such size and contour as to fit within and engage the bores 18 in the rods and base. Each pair of lugs is aligned, and the axes of the three pairs intersect at right angles within the body of the coupler. Where the body is formed in spherical sections as shown in FIGURE 2, the lugs project at each pole and at four equally spaced points on the equator.

As shown in the drawing, FIGURE 2, the bore 18 is in the end of each rod and the lugs 22-24-26 are circular in cross section. The lugs are tapered outwardly to insure a tight press fit in the bore 18.

In FIGURE 3 of the drawing, a conventional spinner 28 is shown with a spinner disc 30 thereunder containing markings on segments of the disc. The markings include numerals, with some discs showing alternative numbers which a player may choose. The numbers indicate the quantity of rods and couplers which is allotted to a player making the spin.

The game may be played by any number of players. In the play of the game the playing surface 12 at the beginning is cleared of all rods and couplers. The player who has first turn spins the spinner 28 and selects the number of rods and couplers indicated on the segment of the disc where the spinner stops. He then places the rods and couplers allotted to him on the board with coupler lugs in selected bores on the playing surface 12. He will thus start the building of a square and cube. The next player spins and builds on the rods and couplers then in place. This process is repeated by each player, in turn, until all of the rods and couplers are in position. As shown in the drawing, FIGURE 1, the playing surface of the base contains one square, and other squares and cubes may be built above this square and also adjacent it, with rods overhanging the board. The score is kept by giving each player who completes a square a given number of points and a higher number of points for each cube completed. It is obvious that in placing rods and couplers a player must not only seek to complete his own square and cube, but to so place his rods and couplers that his opponent may have difficulty in completing squares and cubes.

Although shown and described with respect to particular apparatus and forms of play, it will be apparent that modifications might be made without departing from the principles of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a generally flat base member having vertical openings therein defining the corners of a square on said base, playing pieces comprising a plurality of equal length rods and a plurality of sixsided coupling members each having connecting means disposed on all six sides of said member, each of said connecting means being formed for cooperation with one of said vertical openings or one end of any of said rods to provide for engagement of said rod and the coupling member so as to maintain said rod in extended relation to said coupling member, and chance means having indicia for selecting a number of said playing pieces, and said rods and coupling members being so constructed and provided in sufficient numbers that the players can form therefrom a cube supported by said base member and comprising a plurality of smaller contiguous cube sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 653,303 7/ 1900 Macdonald 273 1,258,932 3/1918 Newcombe 273- 1,342,884 6/ 1920 Anderson 273-130 1,953,631 4/1934 Pritzkow 273-435 3,175,825 3/1965 Ehret 273135 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,069,155 2/ 1954 France.

326,402 9/1920 Germany.

DELBERT R. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 46--29; 273-141 

